Mount Everest Anniversary

Mount Everest is seen from above Everest Base camp, Nepal, May 26, 2003. Sir Edmund Hillary's son, Peter Hillary, was holding a prayer session and ritual mask dance at the monastery to commemorate 50 years of his father's and sherpa Tenzing Norgay's climb to Mount Everest.

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Tenzing Norgay, right, of Nepal and Edmund P. Hillary of New Zealand stand in the gear they wore when conquering Mount Everest on May 29, 1953, at the British Embassy in Katmandu, capital of Nepal, June 26, 1953. The memories of becoming one of the first two men to stand atop Everest are still vivid for Hillary, now 83 but in good health, as he participates in anniversary celebrations in Katmandu.

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Tenzing Norgay stands on the summit of Mount Everest after he and Edmund Hillary became the first people to reach it, May 29, 1953. Hillary said he removed his oxygen gear to take photos, and after about 10 minutes realized his movements were becoming clumsy from a lack of oxygen. There are no pictures of him at the summit. "But you can take my word for it: I was there," he said.

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Tents glow in the twilight as clouds cover Everest Base Camp in Nepal, May 22, 2003. Many teams have rescheduled their summit attempt due to bad weather. Others climbed Mount Everest from the south side. Dozens of climbers are headed toward the summit to mark the 50th anniversary of the first conquest of the world's highest mountain by Hillary and Nepalese guide Tenzing Norgay.

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A Nepalese Sherpa with luggage makes his way through the Khumbu Icefall to Everest base camp, Nepal, May 24, 2003. With the season for climbing Mount Everest coming to an end and the unpredictable weather, many teams have aborted plans for attempting to climb the world's highest peak to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Hillary and Norgay's climb to the summit on May 29, 1953.

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Wispy clouds form near the peaks surrounding Mount Everest, seen from Everest Base camp, Nepal, May 24, 2003. The section of peak visible in the center is Lhotse, while the ridge on the right is Nuptse.

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A view of the Kumbhu icefall, the first hurdle in the ascent to Everest from base camp, as seen from Everest Base camp, Nepal, May 17, 2003.

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A Buddhist memorial remembers mountaineer Scott Fischer near a pass between Dughla and Lobuche, on the trail to the Everest Base Camp, Nepal, May 15, 2003. Fisher was leader of the "Mountain Madness" team, from western Seattle, that on May 10, 1996, lost the highest number of lives on Everest in a single day. Nearly 174 lives have been lost on the heights of Everest.

Japanese mountaineer Yuichiro Miura, 70, left, and his son Gota Miura, 33, pray for their accomplishment following their return to Everest Base camp, Nepal, May 24, 2003. Yuichiro set a record by becoming the oldest man to climb Mount Everest.

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A Nepalese dancer wearing a traditional mask performs during a street dance, May 27, 2003, in Katmandu, Nepal. Sir Edmund Hillary and about 100 other Mount Everest climbers were in Katmandu as part of 50th anniversary celebrations marking the conquest of the 29,035-foot peak.

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With a photo of his father and Tenzing Norgay in the background, Peter Hillary, son of Sir Edmund Hillary, and his daughter Amelia receive Buddhist sacred scarves from local Nepalese at the monastery at Tengboche, on the trail to Mount Everest, May 29, 2003. Hillary organized a prayer session, ritual mask and Sherpa dance at the monastery to mark the 50th anniversary of his father's climb.

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Buddhist monks of Tengboche Monastery perform mask dance at the monastery at Tengboche, on the trail to Mount Everest in Nepal, May 29, 2003.

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Irish mountaineer Bill O'Neill looks at the ranges of Mount Everest, background center, from a ridge above Namche Bazaar, Nepal, May 11, 2003. Having been on the summit of two over-8,000-meter peaks, Makalu and Cho-Oyu, O'Neill regrets the commercialization of mountaineering, especially in the Everest area.

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A Buddhist monk, right, and an unidentified member of Peter Hillary's World Expedition team light oil lamps during prayers at the monastery in Tengboche, on the trail to Mount Everest in Nepal, Thursday, May 29, 2003. Edmund Hillary's son organized a prayer session, ritual mask and Sherpa dance at the monastery to commemorate the 50th anniversary of his father's and Tenzing Norgay's climb to the top of Mount Everest.

Credit: AP

New Zealander Sir Edmund Hillary, left, and his wife, June, laugh with Junko Tabei during official ceremonies Tuesday, May 27, 2003, in downtown Katmandu, Nepal. Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay were the first to reach the summit on May 29, 1953. Junko Tabei was the first woman to scale Mount Everest, a feat she accomplished in 1975.

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Nepalese musicians take to the streets during celebrations Tuesday, May 27, 2003, in Katmandu, Nepal. About 100 Mount Everest climbers, including Sir Edmund Hillary, are in Katmandu as part of 50th anniversary celebrations marking the conquest of the peak.

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A Sadhu, an ascetic follower of the Hindu god Lord Shiva, looks on May 27, 2003, as others gather to attend official ceremonies honoring Mount Everest climbers in Katmandu, Nepal.

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A young Buddhist monk pays less than strict attention to morning prayers May 26, 2003, at the Swoyambhu temple in Katmandu, Nepal. The world's attention is focused on the celebrations honoring the 50th anniversary of the conquering of Mount Everest by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay.

Credit: AP

Pemba Dorjie, a Sherpa guide, is given a traditional welcome as he arrives at the main entrance of the old Patan Palace in Katmandu, Nepal, May 25, 2003. Dorjie, 25, set the record for being the fastest Mount Everest climber, scaling the 29,035-foot mountain, the world's highest, in 12 hours and 45 minutes.